CIEH Issues New Advice on Clay Pigeon Shooting

Subject: CIEH

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has issued professional guidance for environmental health practitioners and other enforcement officers to help control noise from Clay Pigeon Shooting.

As the sport of clay pigeon shooting grows in popularity so too does the problem of noise nuisance. The CIEH has issued a comprehensive guidance document designed to provide a standardised method of noise assessment to minimise noise impact and improve site management. Amongst the key control measures identified are:

• Shoot organisers should inform people affected such as landowners and local residents, in advance of shooting activity.
• Shoots should be carried out at reasonable times, so as not to disturb local residents.
• The number of shooting stands in use and the number of people shooting is a key factor in the noise generated from the sport.
• Noise buffer zones as well as noise barriers should be utilised to reduce the impact of noise.

Physical factors to take into account are:

1. The location of the shoot
2. The direction of shooting
3. The area of the shoot’s geographical features such as hills and embankments.

CIEH chief executive and editor of the report, Graham Jukes said: “This is a significant document which aims to provide much needed advice and guidance on noise control from this sport.”

“The guidance aims to balance the economic needs of rural communities and the right of people to enjoy their leisure activities while respecting the interests of neighbours and their surroundings.”

“This document has been in preparation for a considerable period of time. The key to the document has been the production of a methodology for the measurement of noise, which has been produced by the Building Research Establishment. I am extremely grateful for their contribution to the document and the assistance that has been provided by them in ensuring the notes are consistent with good practice and are workable.”

The document Clay Target Shooting: Guidance on the Control of Noise is available here.

More information

• Clay target shooting is the sport of shooting at flying targets, known as clay pigeons or clay targets, with a shotgun, and is enjoyed by a wide cross-section of the community as a leisure pursuit.

• Clay pigeon shooting is a governed and regulated competitive sport, which has grown quickly in recently years under encouragement for rural communities and farmers to diversify, causing the demand for sites and facilities to increase. There are different types of shoots, but whatever type it is essential to consider the effect the activity may have on occupiers of adjacent land.